Ames’ CyRide Turns 40 Years Old

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AMES, Iowa -- The City of Ames bus service, CyRide celebrated its 40th anniversary on Tuesday. CyRide officials were handing out cookies at bus stops in Ames.

"It's been a great 40 years obviously we've grown with both the community and the University together," said Sheri Kyras, Director of CyRide.

CyRide started in 1976 with only 20 employees and five vehicles. Today, the service has 197 employees and 105 buses. Initially, CyRide was a door-to-door service in Ames.

Now, the service is growing along with Iowa State University. CyRide is in service 16-20 hours a day on 10 routes around Ames and ISU. The buses travel 1,600,000 miles each year.

The service has expanded the bus garage and now there are so many buses they will not all fit inside.

"We're parking buses outside now and actually having starting discussion about having a second facility at a different location," said Kyras. "Due to the number of vehicles that we currently have, 105, were trying to pack them as tightly as we can at the current location but we are simply starting to outgrow that."

Eventually, CyRide plans to have 10 articulated buses which bend in the middle. Those large vehicles work the CyRide commuter lot to Central Campus.